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“There was smoke and people were screaming. We just ran and ran and ran. We didn’t know what we were running from.

“It just happened so so quickly. I can’t believe anyone would target a concert aimed at families and children.”

Alison said she grabbed Carmen’s hand and ordered her to run as concert-goers “stampeded” towards the exit.

Concert goers including children are escorted from the Manchester Arena (Image: Getty)

She said: “Everyone was stampeding trying to get out and we were holding each other so tightly.”

Paula Rodger, a nurse from Dalkeith, Midlothian, said: “I was there with my 11-year-old, the most terrifying experience ever, her dad is driving down from Edinburgh to get us, meanwhile we are safe in our hotel room, scared but safe.”

Glasgow dad Graham Osborne said he and teenagers Taylor, 18, and Kenzi, 14, escaped the blast “by the skin of their teeth”.

The 42-year-old said they were about to use the toilets before the drive home when he heard the huge explosion behind them.